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Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Meals Ready- A short film

Hey Guys! This week, I'm doing a critical analysis of a short film, titled "Meals Ready". You can find the link to view the video at the bottom of the post. Do watch the video, its essential to the comprehension of this post, and it shares a great message. This post is in collaboration with OceanGrapher.

The inspirational video, Meals Ready uses facial expressions and body language as the main method of communication. The main character remains silent through the film, and acts through mime. The use of mime allows for a more open-ended interpretation, while conveying an important message.

The old man acts slowly, allowing the audience to understand his actions. His body language conveys that he is tired, and his facial expressions show that he longs for water.

However, had the film been in English, it might have helped younger audiences receive the same message that we did. Nevertheless, I feel that mime was a powerful way to communicate a powerful message.

If I were to imagine a conversation taking place between mother and son towards the end of the video, it would go something like this:

Son: Hello, I'm home. I've brought home dinner

Mother: How was your day? Thank you for the food. What did you bring back today?

Son: The same old meal. I burned my foot outside today!

Mother: At least we can share a meal!

Son: I brought home a surprise for you! A little girl shared a toffee with me,

Mother: Thank you so much! Here- have half......

There are various different themes that are brought out in the video. For example. there is intertextuality between Meals Ready, and The Village by the Sea(Anita Desai), as both discuss the extravagant life of the rich in comparison to the harsh life of the poor. This is demonstrated through the water the bikers waste.

Another theme showcased very prominently is that of sharing. As the old man shares with his mother, his grim lights up his face, as does the little girl's. Body language and Facial Expression truly were essential to this film.

The film, doesn't end on a sad note, however it isn't extremely joyous. It showcases the love between two family members, and the ability to share. The son gave his mother a toffee, she in return gave him half of it.

I do believe that the ending of this video was apt. It demonstrates that small acts can help make someone's day better. As Cathy Cassidy once wrote " The world needs more random acts of kindness". A little girl thought and cared enough to share. The receiver thought enough to give. The giver shared enough to receive. This story is a great one with a realistically whimsical and pleasing ending.